Friday, 30 November 2007

Unfortunately, her killer/killers are still at large and have yet to be found. Maybe he is running around looking for his next victim.

There has been no update, no new lead and her case remains unsolved.

Nurin Jazlin was the eight-year-old girl who went missing only to be found brutaly murdered.

Nurin's uncle, Jasni AJ, is concerned and worried over the statement by the Deputy Internal Security, Dato Johari Bin Baharom, who said he did not want the public to pressure the police about the case but to allow the authorities to solve it according to set procedures.

He said this after meeting the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on Wednesday.

The Prime Minister had also asked MIC to set up a special committee to analyse and address socio-economic problems faced by the Indian community.

“We expect calls on problems on Tamil schools and Hindu temples. Other problems can also be channelled to the hotline,” he told reporters after chairing the party’s central working committee meeting here yesterday.

Samy Vellu said the problems would be referred to party leaders according to their portfolios.

He said the telephone and contact numbers of the hotline would be published in the local newspapers as soon as it was set up.

Asked if all these measures were due to the Hindraf protest last Sunday, he said MIC had always submitted a report to the Prime Minister every six months.

Sunday, 25 November 2007

Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force) has called off the handing over of its petition to the British High Commission indefinitely following police action that broke up a huge gathering in the city that lasted seven hours.

A. Sivanesan, one of the lawyers representing Hindraf, said this at Hotel Nikko, Jalan Ampang, on Sunday at about noon.

After gathering for about four hours, Hindraf leaders and supporters were not able to get to the High Commission to hand over the petition.

The Star reports that large groups were seen gathering at Jalan Ampang and Jalan Tun Razak from as early as 6.30am Sunday.

The crowds were broken up when police fired water cannons and teargas at them. The gathering, organised by Hindraf, had hoped to hand over the petition to the British High Commission.

The petition to the British Commission asks for Queen Elizabeth II to appoint a Queen's counsel to represent the Indian community in a class action suit against the British Government for bringing Indians as indentured labourers to then Malaya and exploiting them.

Malaysiakini reported that about 30,000 protesters demonstrated under the shadows of Kuala Lumpur’s iconic Twin Towers after their efforts to petition the British High Commission was thwarted by the police with tear gas and chemical-laced water cannon.

Hours before the protest was due to take place, the police had already begun firing tear gas and chemical-laced water to disperse crowds in three areas in Kuala Lumpur.

The police fired a volley of tear gas at Jalan Ampang at about 7.40am to disperse a large crowd who had gathered there. The area has been declared a curfew zone by the police, who issued an ‘arrest on sight’ order.

Earlier, the police also used tear gas to disperse a crowd which gathered at Batu Caves and the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) areas.

Thousands of Indians from all around the country have been arriving in Kuala Lumpur since last night despite police's warning that the gathering was illegal and roadblocks set up to seal off the city..

Some of the protesters were already at Jalan Ampang near Hotel Nikko and Ampang Park - a stone throw away from the British High Commission - early this morning. Despite repeated firing of chemical-laced water against the 2,000-strong crowd, the protestors appeared defiant and refused to budge.

However, by 8.30am the police succeeded in forcing the crowd to move out of the area, many of whom were already congregating near the National Heart Institute along Jalan Tun Razak.

Another group which had gathered near Tabung Haji building was pushed back by the volleys of police tear gas to near the United States embassy further down Jalan Tun Razak.

The police numbering about 1,000 had cleared most of area in the vicinity of Ampang Park and the British High Commission of protestors by 9am.

By 9.30am there were already 10,000 in KLCC. The protesters were split into three major groups - about 3,000 south of Jalan Tun Razak with the police pushing the crowd back into Jalan Kia Peng and Jalan Bukit Bintang.

Another 3,000 were gathered north of Jalan Tun Razak near the National Heart Institute. Many of the protesters were moving to KLCC to join the third group.

The crowd in KLCC had, by then, surged to between 10,000 and 15,000 - a mix of young and old from all parts of the country where they were being addressed by Hindraf leaders, including P Uttayakumar. The police fired tear gas into the defiant crowd every 10 minutes.

Police presence was heavy. The stretch of Jalan Ampang near the British High Commission was completely closed to traffic. Also closed were two LRT (light rail transit) stations near the area - the Ampang Park and KLCC stations.

At 1pm, after negotiations with the police, Uttayakumar gave a short speech and urged the crowd to disperse peacefully. The crowd did and walked back towards Jalan Sultan Ismail, away from the High Commission.

Soon after police reopened Jalan Ampang which had been closed to traffic since 8am.

The Hindraf Rally is the second demonstration to be held in Kuala Lumpur within a period of two weeks. On Nov 10, tens of thousands of people marched peacefully to Istana Negara to submit a royal petition for electoral reform.

Organized by BERSIH, the 10-Eleven March went ahead without police permit and despite a warning (saya pantang dicabar) from Prime Minister Datuk Abbdullah Badawi and the IGP, Tan Sri Musa Hassan.

======================================================Read An observation of the Hindraf rally by Harris Ibrahim, who wrote yesterday why he would not lend his support to the rally, but "walked" today as a member of the Bar monitoring team, here======================================================Also Al Jazeera's report, hereShanghaifish’sDemocracy ala-Malaysia hereAnd, Zorro'sA Sunday Walk with My Brothers and Sisters, here

Saturday, 24 November 2007

Someone sent an email to lawyer Harris Ibrahim , who is also a blogger, saying that he is worried sick about the rally planned by Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force) outside the British High Commission tomorrow (Sun, Nov 25).

Hindraf plans to submit a petition with 100,000 signatures to Queen Elizabeth ll to appoint a Queen's Counsel to represent the Indian community in a class acion suitgainst the Bitish Government for bringing Indians as labourers to the then Malaya and exploiting them.

Three of Hindraf members including its legal adviser, P. Uthayakumar, were arrested (read here) charged in court with sedition (read here)

Writing under the name A Worried Citizen, the writer says:

“Before you get put off by the heading which may prompt you to think I am some BN supporter, let me assure you I am not. I am however concerned about the planned rally by Hindraf this Sunday. Knowing how evil and corrupt our govt is, don’t let them use this rally or rather what may happen at the rally, to turn the tables on us. Do NOT play into the hands of this corrupt and ruthless govt by giving them ammunition to justify banning all future rallies.

The BERSIH rally was undoubtly a huge success to the people and the govt has its back against the wall. We need to keep the momentum and should not foul up by our short sightedness and underestimation of the ruthlessness of the enemy. The govt need to legitimize and find reasons to tell the world that Malaysians cannot have rallies as we are not mature or responsible enough.

As much as I hate this but I must agree with you that our Hindu brothers must retreat and regroup for the next time ”

Harris says he shares the concerns articulated in the e-mail. He is NOT lending support to the rally, And here is WHY:

" NOT because I do not support the call to alleviate the lot of the Indians in this country, but because the Hindraf call is only to address the economic and social neglect of the Hindu / Indian community, and not the fate of all underprivileged, deprived and marginalised Malaysians, regardless of race."

"And make no mistake, there are underprivileged, deprived and marginalised Malaysians of all races, without exception, in the country.

"The Hindraf call, to my mind, is as chauvinistic and communal as is the UMNO call to defend ‘ketuanan Melayu’.

"Both stand in the way of any earnest effort to forge a nation of a single people.

"That is what I stand for and that is what I will walk for.Justice and equality for all people.

"Yes, I walked on 10-Eleven, but that walk and the one planned for this Sunday cannot be equated, other than that both are founded on the constitutionally guaranteed right to peacably assemble.

"On 10-Eleven, Gelombang Kuning was made up of every race.

10-Eleven was an event to champion all the people, not a race."

"I pray that wisdom will also prevail in the Hindraf leadership now and that they will make an early decision to call off the rally."

Harris says he has tried contacting Uthayakumar by telephone "to implore him to do the right thing. I have not been able to get through. I shall continue to try."

Read Harris's take on: Why I will not walk this Sunday and why the walk must not proceed, here

In the meantime, the Briish High Commission has dissociated itself from the planned rally.

"All suggestions that the British High Commision is anyway encouraging people to attend the event are false," it said in a statement released to the media.

Wednesday, 21 November 2007

If you want to know about the NURIN Alert, go get the latest issue of tell magazine (NOV-DEC SPECIAL).

This special issue is dedicated to Nurin, the eight-year-old girl who went missing only to be found brutaly murdered, while it advocates the setting up of NURIN (National Urgent Response Information Network) Alert.

For those not yet in the know, Nuraina A. Samad has been promoting and advocating the introduction of Nurin Alert based on the successful American programme, the Amber Alert in her blog, 3540 Jalan Sudin.

The AMBER Alert is an emergency response plan that brings the authorities and the community together in search for abducted children in the shortest possible time after they go missing.

In this issue Nuraina, who is tell Group Editor, writes on how Amber Alert is being implemented in the States, the pain which Nurin parents' had to endure in finding their missing child only to discover her brutally murdered, other similar incidents, the roundtable discussion with Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil, the proposed Nurin Alert initiative, similar Alert mechanisms elsewhere and comments of Johore's Raja Zarith Sofia.

Hats off to the TELL team, especially to its publisher, Wahti Mahidin, Nuraina & Ahirudin Attan (Rocky) for coming up with this issue on the Nurin Alert in our effort to save the next child.

Tuesday, 20 November 2007

No, I am not writing about me. I am talking about someone who shares my first name. She is Maria Amelia Lopez.

And, Maria Aemlia Lopez is not your ordinary grandma. She is a blogger.

Meet 95-year-old Maria, a lively old great grandmother from Spain, who has achieved global fame as the oldest of the world's 63.2 million bloggers.

I came across her story while reading the Sunday Star (Nov.18). I was intrigued - you know, 95, and blogging? I guess, one is never too old to learn.

Ms Lopez started blogging in December of last year. and it didn’t take long until she was discovered by the public.

She’s now getting plenty of coverage in the Spanish papers and on the news. Hundreds of thousands of people visit her site curious to learn the wisdom that comes from living longer than most.

In her first entry she lets us know it was her 95th birthday and she was given the gift of the blog by a "cheapo" of a grandson.

“When I saw my grandson using the Internet, it caught my attention. “I said to myself 'What's this? You can find out about anything. I want to access the Internet too!'”

She blogs about everything from her experience during the Spanish Civil War to her opinions about current Spanish politics. People find her funny and accessible, and love to hear her first hand experiences on historic events.

The Internet has given her life, she said. She receives receives messages from places as diverse as Brazil, Russia and Japan.

"I think it's great that you can find everything there," she said. "You can read the news and about people's lives. It's the best discovery that I've made in my life."

To other other seniors this is her advice: Take up blogging.

“I was always talkative, but now I feel more wanted, embraced, because so many people write to me.”

Whatever it is, "we, the people, have done our bit and the Agong has done his bit. History has been made on 10-eleven and cannot be unmade." says Rocky.

"BERSIH didn't ask the Agong to support the 10-eleven march. What we wanted was for the Palace to look into our grievances. And those who marched did so demanding reforms in the electoral reforms, NOT to drag the Agong into the mud of partisan politics."

Indeed! The King, being a constitutional monarchy, the supreme commander and a sovereign, is above politics. The march/rally and presentation of the memorandum to the palace was purely symbolic.

Read what Nuraina A Samad has to say on this in her entry Titah Tuanku here:

Also, read Raja Petra Kamaruddin’s (RPK) What the eye does not see: HERE

Pak Lah was, of course, referring to the Saturday's rally/march to the palace by thousands of Malaysians. The 10-Eleven or BERSIH march was for electoral reforms - for clean and fair elections.

Film maker Fahmi Reza has reproduced pages from our own newspapers - reporting on Malaysia’s struggle for Independence in the late 1940s. These news reports show in black-and-white our forefathers’ (and mothers’) struggle in the streets against the British.

"PROTEST DEMONSTRATION BY MALAYS

A big demonstration against the Malayan Union staged by 36,000 Kelantan Malays was reported by MAJLIS 9.2.1946. The Malays chose to call the White Paper as an “atomic bomb thrown by the British in Malaya”. SERUAN RA’AYAT 9.2.1946 gave the number of men who took part in the procession as 65,000. The demonstrators carried banners with inscriptions in English and Malay saying “British Government Betrays Trust”, “Can we trust British Government Again?”, “Allow Malays to exist in this world”, “Give us our rights”, “We want justice”, “We want peace but not at the expense of our rights”, etc.

The paper published the “declaration of oath” adopted by the Kelantan Malay officers who unanimously decided to tender their resignations, if their protest met with failure, and to employ most of their energy and ability in defense of their national status and their motherland.

Commenting on this procession the Chinese MING SENG 7.2.1946 said that the Kelantan Malays were now caught in a fever of nationalism and showed strong opposition to the White Paper. They were even prepared to stage a strike when it was necessary.

How, 2,000 Kedah Malays with banners and shouting slogans awaited the arrival of Major-General Hone in Alor Star to “offer their protest against the Malayan Union."

A section of the crowd which yesterday attended the mass meeting at Farrer Park, Singapore, to support the constitutional proposals drafted by the All-Malaya Council of Joint Action and Pusat Tenaga Ra'ayat.(Sumber: The Straits Times, 22 Sept 1947)

NOTE: "Ten Years Before Merdeka" (Sepuluh Tahun Sebelum Merdeka) is a documentary by Fahmi Reza which shows the struggle against British colonial rule 10 years before August 31, 1957. The documentary won the prize for the "Most Outstanding Human Rights film" in this year's Freedom Film Fest organised by KOMAS.

Saturday, 10 November 2007

...the peaceful march for electoral reforms, for fair and clean elections

The rain did not dampen the spirit of the people who wanted a message sent to the Agong, and to the increasingly detached and arrogant leaders of this nation.The crowd was easily 30 times more than the Bar Council's "Walk for Justice", says Ahiruddin Attan/Rocky, who joined more than 60,000 Malaysians in the walk to the Istana Negara.

Police used teargas

... and water cannons to disperse...

...the crowd who tried to march from Jalan Tun Perak to Dataran Meredeka despite threats from the Prime Minister, Pak Lah, and the IGP

One of the 245 people who were detained

But they finally made it when BERSIH's representative Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi succeeded in handing its memorandum to an Istana Negara official at around 4pm, cheered by thousands of Malaysians who braved the rain, and the police's water cannons and tear gas. And their mission accomplished.

Thursday, 8 November 2007

Tuesday, 6 November 2007

With so much speculation going around as to when the general election will be called, is the Deputy Prime Minister giving a hint that it will be held soon?

Last night, Datuk Najib Tun Razak, who is Umno Deputy President told party members to get ready for the next general election, and defined for them what readiness meant.

"To to step up their preparedness for the next general election" does not mean making new bush jackets or baju kurung in anticipation of becoming candidates.

"Nor does it include whispering campaigns, jostling against one another and moving about to and fro bringing along one's resume to lobby for candidacy.

"Our attitude should be one of acceptance. If we are chosen, well and good, if not then so be it, for there is always wisdom behind every decision."

Datuk Najib said this at the joint opening of the Youth, Wanita and Puteri's Umno wings' assemblies at the PWTC here. The event was telecast live.

They should instead get ready by activating the party's election machinery at all levels: ballot box areas, electoral constituencies, branch offices and divisions throughout the country, he said.

Najib said that while the date of the 12th general election was entirely the prerogative of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, the reality of the country demanded that the general election be won with more than a two-thirds majority to ensure that "we can effectively govern and maintain stability".

"Our confidence in repeating our sterling success in the last elections is not without basis."

This, he added stemmed from the defeat of PAS in the Kuala Berang and Pengkalan Pasir by-elections, DAP in Machap, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) in Ijok and the independent candidate in Batu Talam.

Najib said every single victory, with impressive majorities, was due to the people's resounding support for Umno and the Barisan Nasional (BN).

In keeping with the theme of his speech, entitled "Elevating a National Civilisation", Najib called on Malaysians, especially the Malays, to constantly reach for the stars to help mould an outstanding civilization.

Malaysians, he said, have to dare to dream the impossible dream and pursue that dream relentlessly.

To achieve this, the nation has to use five main thrusts:

* A global peopel with first class mentality:

He spoke of the achievement of our angkasawan Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukur was a "literal manifestation of our aspirations to elevate our civilisation and reach for the stars."

* Knowledge & education:

"The most important investment that a Malay family can make is not the procurement of land, property or fancy cars. The most important investment is the investment in our childrens education."

* Religion & culture:

"When embrace Islam...and while we do so, we recognise the constitutional rights and practice of other races to practise."

* Economic growth and equitable distribution (of the economic cake)

"The sharing of power should not be limited to the political realm but the sharing of economic power. Malays must be more active in economic activities to ensure that wealth distribution is more equitable."

* Political stability.

"The political reality of this country demands that we continuously win general elections, and win them with more than a two-third majority. Only then can we effectively govern and maintain stability."

Tomorrow, party president Datuk Abdullah Badawi will address the 2,500 delegates from 190 division when he opens the three-day assembly, which will end on Friday.

His policy speech will be closely watched by delegates, members of the Barisan component parties and political observers for indication as to the direction the party will be taking as it prepares for the next general election.

Friday, 2 November 2007

Commercial Crimes Investigation (CCI)director Commissioner Datuk Ramli Yusoff has been suspended from his duties pending the trial into the three charges against him. This was announced by the Deputy Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Mohd Najib Abdul Aziz. Read more here and Bernama here...

CCID director Ramli faces three three charges

R. Surenthira Kumar

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 1, 2007): Federal Commercial Crimes Investigations Department director Datuk Ramli Yusuff today claimed trial to three charges - two for non-disclosure of assets and a third charge for involvement in business while being a public servant - in a sessions court here today.

On the first charge of non-disclosure of assets under Section 32(2) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997, Ramli allegedly failed to declare the ownership of two lots of business suites in the Megan Avenue II building located on Jalan Yap Kwan Seng here.

The value of the two office units, during acquirement, was worth RM1, 032, 840 million and was held by two directors of Bonus Circle Sdn Bhd who were named as Ramli’s elder and younger sisters, Rohmah@ Hasmah Yusoff and Roslina respectively.

On the second charge, Ramli allegedly failed to declare the ownership of 154,000 units of shares in Permaju Industries Sdn Bhd.

The two offences were allegedly committed by Ramli at the ACA headquarters in Putrajaya on Sept 17, for failing to adhere to the written notice, under Setion 32(1)(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act, which requires him to declare in writing and

Datuk Rahim Yusuf under oath, on assets, movable or immovable, owned by him or which he had interest in and also, all sources of income.

The third, a summons charge, alleged that Ramli, on April 25, 2006, being a public servant, a Commissioner of Police holding the position of the director of the Commercial Crimes Investigations Department in Bukit Aman had flouted the Regulation 5(1)(a) of the Public Servants Rules and Regulations (Amendment) 2002 which prohibited him from being involved in business. The Sun has the story

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 1 (Bernama) -- Court of Appeal President Datuk Abdul Hamid Mohamad was today made acting Chief Justice until the post is filled, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Department.

The statement said that according to the Courts of Judicature Act 1964 (Act 91), if a vacancy occurred for the post of Chief Justice, the power could be exercised by the President of the Court of Appeal.

As such, Abdul Hamid will act in the post beginning today until the vacancy is filled. The post will be filled as soon as possible.

Bernama has the full story here and reports here that Fairuz'z position wasnt discussed at the Rulers' Conference.

Have a Heart: Save IJN

Israel’s assault on Gaza, by air, sea and now land, has killed (at the time of this writing) more than 600 Palestinians, with more than 2,700 injured. Ten Israelis have been killed, three of them Israeli soldiers killed by friendly fire. Beyond the deaths and injuries, the people of Gaza are suffering a dire humanitarian crisis that is dismissed by the Israeli government. There is, however, Israeli opposition to the military assault. Read here...

Human Rights

Tok Mommy

About Me

Child Safety

Parents, guardians, and adults who care for children face constant challenges when trying to help keep children safer in today's fast-paced world.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) offers easy-to-use safety resources to help address these challenges.
For decades, children were taught to stay away from "strangers." But this concept is difficult for children to grasp and often the perpetrator is someone the child knows.
It is more beneficial to help build children's confidence and teach them to respond to a potentially dangerous situation...
Read more...

Why Hamas is NOT the issue

Mohammed, age six, marched with determination to his bedroom, put on a record of the Fatah marching song, picked up a wooden toy rifle and marched out to the balcony. He pointed the rifle to the sky where minutes ago, Israeli planes flew over dropping bombs on Palestinian refugee sites. Mohammed told me he wanted to be a pilot so he could fight Israeli warplanes. “But Mohammed, the Palestinians do not have planes.” “I don’t care, I will fight them whatever way I can.”Was a resistance fighter born this minute or was he a “future terrorist”? (Beirut 1973)

How does one explain the horrific fate that has befallen caged Gaza – a land saturated with rubble and body parts – carpet-bombed by air, invaded by ground, attacked by sea? Put to the test of history, Israeli “explanations” fail the credibility test. continue here---------------------------------------------Robert Fisk: Leaders lie, civilians die, and lessons of history are ignoredWe've got so used to the carnage of the Middle East that we don't care any more – providing we don't offend the Israelis. It's not clear how many of the Gaza dead are civilians, but the response of the Bush administration, not to mention the pusillanimous reaction of Gordon Brown, reaffirm for Arabs what they have known for decades: however they struggle against their antagonists, the West will take Israel's side. As usual, the bloodbath was the fault of the Arabs – who, as we all know, only understand force. ..Continue here

War on Gaza

Israel's failure to learnBy Nir Rosen (Aljazeera)

When George Bush, the US president, first entered the White House as the commander-in-chief in 2001, Palestinians were being killed in the al-Aqsa intifada.

Eight years later, as Bush prepares to leave office, Israel is carrying out one of the largest massacres in its 60-year occupation of Palestine.

The US, then and now, strongly backs Israel's offensive, justifying it as being, in fact, defensive.To continue read here ...